Kosovo national basketball team

Kosovo
Kosovo
FIBA ranking 83
Joined FIBA 2015
FIBA zone FIBA Europe
National federation FBK
Coach Arben Krasniqi
Nickname(s) Dardanët (Dardanians), Djelmoshat e Artë (Golden Boys)
Olympic Games
Appearances None
Medals None
For achievements before independence see Yugoslavia and
Serbia national basketball team
FIBA World Cup
Appearances None
Medals None
For achievements before independence see Yugoslavia and
Serbia national basketball team
EuroBasket
Appearances None
Medals None
Uniforms
Light
Dark

The Kosovo national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja Kosovare e basketbollit) represents Kosovo internationally in basketball. The Kosovo national basketball team is run by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo (Albanian: "Federata e Basketbollit të Kosovës"), the governing body of basketball in Kosovo, which was created in 1991 and joined FIBA in 2015. Prior to 1991, Kosovo was under the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia.

History

Kosovo Basketball Federation was founded in 1991. During the Yugoslavian era, Kosovo had own Superleague and lower divisions in both genders. In the 1990s, Kosovo declared political and sports independence from Yugoslavian system, organising its own league based with different teams from seven major cities of Kosovo. Some basketball players from Kosovo, especially Kosovo Serbs, participated as part of Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia national basketball team.

Kosovo was not allowed to play international matches, not even friendlies by FIBA, until 2015 when Kosovo Basketball Federation became official member of FIBA and FIBA Europe. Kosovo will be part of FIBA EuroBasket 2017 qualifications for the first time.[1] FIBA is about to allow lot of Kosovans player who already played for other national teams to play for their own country. Some of those players are Dardan Berisha (Poland), Kenan Sipahi (Turkey), Ulug Kacaniku (Turkey), Edon Maxhuni (Finland), Gezim Morina (Slovenia) or Erjon Kastrati (Slovenia).

Youth teams

Kosovo began to participate in youth competitions in 2015. It contested the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Division B, where it finished in the 14th position out of 18 teams[2] and the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship Division C, finishing as runner-up after being defeated by San Marino by 59–76 in the final.[3]

Current Roster

Kosovo National Basketball Team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Age – Date of birth Ht. Club Ctr.
F 4 Azemi, Edmond 33 – (1980-11-10)November 10, 1980 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PG 5 Shaptahu, Samir 33 – (1981-08-02)August 2, 1981 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) KB Peja Kosovo
PG 6 Veseli, Alban 24 – (1990-01-10)January 10, 1990 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) KB Peja Kosovo
SF 7 Hajrizi, Drilon 23 – (1991-01-17)January 17, 1991 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) KB Peja Kosovo
F 8 Rugova, Granit 28 – (1985-11-13)November 13, 1985 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Bashkimi Prizren Kosovo
SG 9 Rugova, Fisnik 24 – (1989-10-26)October 26, 1989 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) KB Peja Kosovo
C 10 Zenelaj, Urim 23 – (1991-08-30)August 30, 1991 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) KB Ylli Kosovo
SG 11 Berisha, Dardan 25 – (1988-11-15)November 15, 1988 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PG 12 Sipahi, Kenan 19 – (1995-06-26)June 26, 1995 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) Karşıyaka Basket Turkey
C 13 Kaçaniku, Yll 29 – (1985-05-31)May 31, 1985 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Bashkimi Prizren Kosovo
C 14 Mazreku, Blerim 32 – (1981-12-24)December 24, 1981 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PF 15 Morina, Gezim 21 – (1992-12-12)December 12, 1992 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
SG 16 Kastrati, Erjon 20 – (1994-12-30)December 30, 1994 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) KK Krka Slovenia
Head coach
  • Kosovo Arben Krasniqi
Assistant coach(es)
  • Kosovo Albert Sylejmani
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • nat field describes country

of last club before the tournament

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 Bench 3
C Ersid Ljuca Bkerim Mazreku Urim Zenelaj
PF Uluğ Kaçaniku Samir Zekiqi Fisnik Rugova
SF Edmond Azemi Alban Veseli Edon Molla
SG Dardan Berisha Drilon Hajrizi
PG Kenan Sipahi Samir Shaptahu

Competitive record

At Eurobasket

Year Position Pld W L
1935 – 2015See Yugoslavia and Serbia
2017TBD

References

  1. ↑ "Kosova në kualifikime për EuroBasket 2017" (in Albanian). Gazeta Blic. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Final Standings at 2015 FIBA Under-20 Championships Division B". FIBA Europe.
  3. ↑ "San Marino claim historic gold medal". FIBA Europe. 11 July 2015.

External links


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